MyMysMum

Dee Dee143, I am curious if you are still a member of the LVNL? I accessed their website today and did not get any info on the group that was very useful. I called the number listed under members for my region and it was answered by a voicemail for MaryKay cosmetics and a travel agency. I called Sacramento and talked with a lady that was not very helpful. Maybe this is why there are not many members?? I have googled LVN associations many times and this is the 1st time I was able to access their webiste. If you are a member, can you give me a little insight about the organization. I am in the Southern California area. You can also private message me if you like. Thanks for your help.

Since you are attending a community college, I would go straight for the AA RN program to start and skip the LVN all together (you can sit for your boards after I think the first 2 semesters of the RN program anyway just to have that license under your belt) You can start work with your RN and then move forward with your BSN or ADN. It gets very easy to just stay in one position once you are out. Just my 2 cents

Good luck to you. I am now in my second year of nursing and completed my LVN just like you. I worked full time M-F and did a weekend and 1 night a week program. 18 months without breaks. It was a killer but totally worth it. There will be a time (near the middle of the program) that you think that you will just fall apart but push through. The end result is worth all the blood, sweat and tears (I had a lot of tears...) Learn to study everywhere. While you commute, while you wait in line at the store, while you eat lunch; basically anywhere and everywhere you can. It will all pay off in the end.

As soon as I complete my RN I will be purchasing a shiney red convertable Corvette! I will be ordering it from Kentucky, visiting the plant and starting teh car for the 1st time and driving it home to sunny CA! This is my dream car and my dream job. I figure that they should go together. (Although I am a little fearful that Chevy may not exist by the time I get there. hehehe...oh and there is always my supportive husband telling me that a Vette is pretty hard to get into with a walker! I don't care. If it takes that long I will just hire a great looking young man to be my assistant!)

My experience was with a prolapsed rectum and I nearly fainted. I was a student and did not have a clue what to do. Thank goodness for the experienced CNA who quickly recognized that there was about to be 2 patients, got me a chair and explained what I was looking at.

I would love to tell patients: "You most certainly do not need another pain pill. What you really need is detox or rehab!" Although I know pain is subjecive, I have a very hard time dealing with drug seekers. We have all had patients that have such serious injuries and only ask for a Tylenol when they in horrible pain and others that are begging for Morphine long before the next dose is due. Although this is not to a patient, I would also love to tell smoking nurses and RTs that they are hypocrits. I guess that they are giving those of us that don't smoke job security. Please be better role models for your patients.:plsebeg:

I have 2 pair of Danskos. One white (for nursing school) and a new black pair that I can wear to work now that the white is not a requirement. With my first pair, I opted for the smaller of 2 sizes. While I would not say it was a complete mistake, they are definately less comfortable than my 1 size larger black ones. The front portion of the smaller pair was so tight at first that it gave me a bruise across the top of my foot. Now that they are broken in they are much more comfortable. The larger pair were much more comfortable right out of the box. With those, my heal does not touch the rear of the shoe. Without a doubt, these are the most comfortable shoes that I have worn for work or play. I wish that my fun shoes were this comfortable. I am so thankful to my best friend for inparting her wisdom to me when I started school. Her experience has saved me many a back ache, I am sure.

I have to agree with Natania! Dansko are the most comfortable shoe I have ever worn. They are fairly pricey but this is your career and your body that you are talking about. The shoes are very durable so you will not be replacing them yearly. Not to mention that they are solid leather so nothing grose will end up on your socks! You can find them on line for a little less than in stores but you will need to try them on and get a good fit before you can buy on-line. They are European sizing and also fit differently than standard shoes. I still say that they are worth every penny and the time spent to get them. Your back will thank you. :thankya:

I just graduated from Concorde in Garden Grove. They have the weekend LVN program (18 months, attending Sat, Sun, & Mon. evening) The cost was $26,000. I started September 12, 2005 & finished 3/2007. As for my experience, here are the details in a nutshell: 1. Why I chose Concorde: Needed a weekend program due to work situation. 2. Did I get my money's worth: I did graduate and just passed the NCLEX. As far as that is concerned, yes. As for the education, I think that it could have been better for the money that I spent. 3. Would I choose Concorde again: Maybe. I would really weigh my options at JC, ROP and RN programs first. I am 37 so I felt that the 2-4 year wait list was extreme in my case. That was another factor on why I chose to take this option. 4. How can you better your education: You have to be COMPLETELY committed to this program. A large percentage of the program is self study. If you short change yourself, you suffer. What I mean is that if you cram in the information, you will pass the exams. What you will loose is the knowledge. They are not big on reviewing the info. You complete a section and move on. Also, be your own advocate. If you are not getting what you expected, say so. 5. Positives about Concorde: The schedule fit my work schedule. Clinical rotations are at a variety of locations and not just nursing homes. Their NCLEX pass ration is high. There is no waiting list. The campus is very close to my home so the commute was almost nothing...about 3 minutes! Can't beat that in Orange County. I want to wish everyone luck regardless of what route you choose. Study hard. It is worth all the blood sweat and tears in the end! :balloons: Kim

Thanks for the input so far. I have heard this go both ways and just don't have any idea. On my resume I can put great job stability and my references are great. I just don't have tons of actual hands on experience...except school. BTW: Thanks Jen1228 for your suggestion on adding percentile instead of the # I graduated. That is a great way to put it! Congrats to you on #3. That IS A HUGE ACHIEVMENT!

I am a new LVN and just starting the job hunt. I have some experience as a MA but that was many, many years ago. My question is: Is it appropriate to put my clinical experience on my resume? I would be sure to clearly mark that this is clinical experience and not job experience. My program allowed me to have a pretty diverse training schedule. Since I have no recent experience, I was hoping that this can be used in my favor. Oh, also, is it appropriate to note on my resume that I graduated 2nd in my class? It was a class of 16 but it was still 2nd. Any opinions would be very helpful!

I just took (and found out I passed on Saturday!! YEAH!) my NCLEX. My school suggested teh following books: 1. Straight A's in Nursing Pharmacology - this is really helpful to review the meds. I had a lot of questions on meds and stuff that I had never heard of. 2. Incredibly Easy NCLEX-PN review - this is very simple and actually helps with concepts. That is what you need to knwo anyway. It will boost your confidence that you know your stuff. 3. Lippencott's Review for NCLEX PN. There is a new version with new format questions. Get that one. 4. NCLEX-PN 250 New Format Questions - this one helps with the questions that we did nto see in school (multiple choice, diagram, etc.) I found these helpful but no the "It" books for studying. I am not sure if one of those is out there. Know your meds and concepts. The books will help you to sharpen your concept knowledge. Oh, and the red Saunders book. It is hard but it is the best at getting your brain on a general topic. I will say that that book had a lot of stuff that I had never heard of before but it was still helpful. Good luck.